McMillan: Magarity reaches milestone at Army

WEST POINT — With the announcement of the starting lineups complete, Dave Magarity turned back toward the Army basketball bench to squeeze in a few more reminders to his team.

Ken McMillan

WEST POINT — With the announcement of the starting lineups complete, Dave Magarity turned back toward the Army basketball bench to squeeze in a few more reminders to his team. Meanwhile, public address announcer Joe Beckerle told the small gathering at Christl Arena that Magarity was coming off his milestone 100th career victory at West Point on Friday.

There was a bit of applause and certainly no fanfare, just the way Magarity would probably want it. Besides, he was more concerned about adding No. 101 to his ledger.

But on this Monday evening, a night like many in career that has stretched back more than 34 years, that next win would prove hard to get. Saint Francis of Brooklyn made just enough plays down the stretch and handed Army a 59-47 loss.

The milestone win — and No. 413 overall for his career — came Friday on the road at Wagner College. Afterward, Army players wrote his milestone in big numbers on the coaching board in the locker room and playfully jostled the 62-year-old Magarity.

"We were all jumping up and down with him, and chanting 100,'' said senior captain Liz Benedict. "We really wanted to hit his head to see if there's hair spray on there, but it's actually really soft.''

Army win No. 100 for Magarity is significant because there really wasn't supposed to be win No. 1. Magarity was thrilled to get back into coaching, following a 19-month absence, when Maggie Dixon hired him to be her associate head coach in the fall of 2005. Together, they helped lead the Black Knights to a magical championship season, and then Dixon died from a heart ailment only weeks later.

"There was really only one person who could head that program at that time and it was Dave,'' said Bob Beretta, Army's executive athletic director and the man instrumental in bringing Magarity to West Point.

Magarity was on his way out, just about ready to accept an NBA scouting job with his friend, Jeff Bower, when his call to duty came. Magarity accepted the head coaching job at Army, mostly out of obligation to a distraught team but also because his desire to coach was reignited by Dixon. Add the fact he was able to add his daughter, Maureen, to his coaching staff and the deal was sealed.

"I look back on it and I have no regrets, I really don't,'' Magarity said. "It's been a wonderful experience. It's been great for me personally, professionally and for my family. I think of the opportunity to work with Maureen for four years was really special. The year with Maggie Dixon was incredibly special. I just feel it's been special for so many reasons. I love being here. It's a really neat place to finish my career.''

His year-and-a-half away from the game, between his ouster at Marist in March 2004 after 18 seasons and joining the Army staff, was agony for Magarity. He tried to embrace the role of being an assistant commissioner of two collegiate leagues, but the calling was strong and the emptiness was real.

"It was something that you can't even put a dollar figure on,'' Magarity said. "It left a huge void in what I did because that's all I had ever done. I missed the day-to-day stuff. I missed getting on a bus with (assistant coaches) George Siegrist and Steve Sauers and Rob Colbert and (trainer) Glenn Marinelli. When I was able to bring Maureen with me, I was able to get some of that back.'' Well, perhaps without a bit of coarse language in a testosterone-filled environment, he admits.

Magarity's decision to stay at West Point helped heal a program, the school and himself.

"He made a commitment to stay here for these women and for these future leaders,'' Beretta said. "We'll always be thankful for that.''

That's why Magarity is still here, seven seasons later. Retirement is on the horizon — he has a deal through 2015, when he turns 65. He has no idea whether he will stay or leave at that time, but he still loves the job and wouldn't mind making at least one more run for a championship and leave on his terms.

kmcmillan@th-record.com

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